Adult Leader Training Potpourri - Saturday, Jan. 24^th, 9am to 4pm, Pender UMC (12401 Alder Woods Dr., FF; heading west on Rt 50, take a right at the second light after West Ox Rd., then a sharp left, follow to the church).
Youth Protection Training will be offered at 9 and 10:30am, among many other courses. A large variety of other topics are covered in short seminars through the course of the day. For more info, call Ron Levy at 560-0074 Good idea to come early, as the afternoon classes are usually cancelled if insufficient people show up (many leave at lunchtime.) This training will not be offered again until August 22^nd (and perhaps not even then, depending on what happens after the re-districting this June.)

Adult Leader Basic Training (Scout Leader Fundamentals) - Dates for the Spring are as follows:

Tues, March 24^th - Pender UMC (see above for directions), 7 - 10pm

Sat April 4^th - Andrew Chapel UMC, 1301 Trapp Rd., Vienna (on Rt 7 , west of the Dulles Toll Rd, on the left hand side heading west.) 7:30am to 4pm

Sat - Sun, April 25^th - 26^th, Claude Moore Estate (camping overnight); all participants will receive a map on how to get there - it's off the Greenway about halfway to Leesburg. 7am Sat - 12noon Sun

All three sessions must be attended. The Troop will reimburse you for registration expenses ($25) and any other course related expenses (keep receipts!) Pre-registration is highly recommended; call Greg Schwarz, 787-9336.
Note that all assistant Scoutmasters and committee members who go camping with the Troop should complete this training; it's not just for Scoutmasters!!!

2) Outside Magazine - If you are in Eighth Grade or above, you should be receiving Outside Magazine, which is our replacement for Boy's Life for older Scouts. Eighth graders should have just received their first issues - and also noticed the demise of their Boy's Life subscriptions. If you haven't seen your subscription, or if it's been irregular, please let the Scoutmaster know ASAP; We'll try to get on them about what's going on.

3) Order of the Arrow - Many Scouts received a mailing from the Order of the Arrow's local chapter, Amangamek Wipit, Lodge #470 - sort of an Honor and Service Society of Top-Notch Scouts - concerning the Spring Ordeal on the first weekend in May. This was in followup to a recent Troop meeting where they were all elected to the O/A. Obviously, we all missed it; however, it's not a moot point, since there is also a Fall Ordeal as well, and interested Scouts can go for that one if they so desire.

Some preliminary comments, however. In many Councils around the United States the O/A is a very active service organization, and handles a myriad of tasks such as summer camp set-ups, camporee campfire programs, Scout show demos, Indian dance teams, and helping moribund Troops jump-start their camping programs. ASM Larry Helm, for example, was an extremely active O/A member, and it became part of his defining experiences in Scouting. Dr. Bob's younger brother performed on an O/A Dance Team all around the East Coast (and loved it). Unfortunately, the local chapter of the O/A is itself a moribund organization, amounting to little more than a patch trading society with thousands of members on the books, but only a few dozen truly active members - most of whom spend most of their time trying to get anybody else to actually do something.

Recently, however, George Shifflett (who gave us our a Sea Base discussion) became the primary Adult Advisor for the local Chapter of the O/A. He is trying to turn a new leaf, and has been very active in holding elections and recruiting new members; that's why we just held our first O/A elections in over seven years. We hope he succeeds; however, also note that most of our Scouts are already wildly overscheduled, and most can barely keep up with just their Troop commitments - never mind another full set of Boy Scout commitments outside the Troop.

Bottom line - DON'T join the O/A just for the (dubious) "prestige" and to wear a pretty patch - ONLY join if you are truly willing to make the commitment to a more complete Boy Scouting experience. Similar to Larry and Bob's brother, it will be worth it - but this is very much a situation where you will get out only what you put in. Note that inactive O/A "members" will not be allowed to wear the Lodge flap on their uniforms.

Additional Questions on O/A, call Dr. Bob or Larry.

4) World Jamboree 1998 - The 19th WJ will be held 27^th Dec 1998 through 6^th Jan 1999 in Santiago, Chile. The BSA will be sending 40 troops, which will need 176 adult leaders and 300 service staff member volunteers. Requirements for these positions include:

• All Troop Leaders - must file a Personal Health and Medical Record, Class 3, complete the 60 minute Youth Protection Training, and participate in the prejamboree training experience.
• Scoutmaster/Advisor - must be at least 21 and have served in a specified adult leadership role for a least 1 year during the 3 prior years.
• Assistant Scoutmaster/Advisor - must be between 18 but not yet 21 by 1 Jan 1999 and must have served actively in a troops leadership.
• Service staff Members - must be at least 18 by 1 Jan 1999, complete the Youth Protection Training, and file a medical record.

Details and applications are available at NCAC's main service center. Applicants must have Council approval before going to the regional office for final approval.

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11 January 1998